Thursday, 28 February 2013

..Taken from above.
Definitely an interesting angle to sell a car - especially three shots of it!

Its sure cool though, and really shows the boxyness of the X7 MarkII beautifully. You also get to see other subtle detailing like the matching creases running down the length of the bonnet and boot.

This pillar-less hardtop sedan body style - with its lack of B-pillar, polished A-pillar trim, and blacked out C-pillar - makes the roof panel look like its floating.
Interestingly also, is that the extra rake on the rear windscreen almost perfectly matches the angle on the front, so the car is looks near symmetrical front-to-rear!

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Amazingly this first-generation (MK1), first production year, 1984 AW11 Toyota MR2 G-Limited, has made it through its whole road-going life as Toyota built it.
Interestingly rare to see in Red too. Not as many red MR2's in Japan as the rest of the world..

This was the top spec of the AW11 in 1984 - a G-Limited - with the skirts, spoilers, alloys, power windows, etc..

Being an '84, the extra aero parts remained in black. I always reckoned it looked good against the solid block of body-colour.

Under the engine-cover is the first generation of the twin-cam 4A-GE. The blue-and-black-top, 3rib, bigport variation.
That elaborate-looking intake was replaced with an even more ridiculous one in 1986. '86-'89 cars had it loop around behind the tail-lights, right around to the intake behind the drivers (right) door!

The relatively usable boot/trunk, with the accessory boot-mat in an awesome monochrome tartan.
(The intake piping I mentioned above would run along the outer end of the boot, behind the paneling in the lower left of this photo..)

At the other end of the car, we have the frunk (the front trunk!).
All original under here too, complete with the matching (accessory) storage box. The factory tool kit is in the beige bag.
The area above the radiator remained open (as in the picture above) until the 1986 update; at which point in got a full coverage plastic panel. I'm too used to it with the panel there.. this just looks like its missing!

Interestingly, also being an early hardtop car means it hasn't got the front strut tower bar.

Matching red interior..
On top of being a G-Limited, the only visible option here seems to be the 4speed auto.
Not overly flattering photos, but its genuinely tidy in there. Very nice an original.
I like the Japanese flare behind the drivers seat there too..!

Great example anyway. honestly a bit of a shame about the auto - and despite taking away some of the originality and rarity - probably something I'd change in this particular car.

Friday, 22 February 2013

Its an early CL11 Suzuki Alto Works RS/X
A 1989-build of the third generation Suzuki Alto, which hit the market late the year before.

I admit I like the previous model even more; but that's in no way to say this isn't pure awesome on its own!

It has plenty of its own interesting details - just not as loud or 'in your face' as the second-generation Alto.

The very-large, round, headlights really stand out; and thanks to the black two-tone on this particular car, the grille looks like a quirky off-centre smile!

Speaking of off-centre, that little bonnet vent is awesome - and feeds the top-mount intercooler on the twin-cam 657cc (F6A) Turbo four! Like the previous model, this produced the Kei-maximum of 64hp; and on this RS/X (not RS/R) model, sent power to the front wheels only.

Out back, we've got two spoilers, twin exhaust tips, and a rather bare looking tail-gate.
Nothing too exciting, yet nothing particularly offensive on this end. You could never call it ugly..!

Like the outside, the interior too is a little more sober looking than its predecessor. Its not bad though - and the dash in particular (with that full-width ribbed strip) is pretty interesting.. and no doubt bloody practical with the open storage space on top!

Anyway, thats that.
This generation of Alto had called-it-a-day by 1994; which leaves it with a more 90's feel, than it was 80's - but its no-doubt cool regardless!

[thumbs up to the dealer M.Japan (?) too, for the cool pics. I always recognize their different 'full zoom from across the carpark' pics when browsing for cars..!]

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Its an Australian-built 1988 R31 (S3) Nissan Skyline Silhouette, and a very tired one at that. It was on its last legs, and out of rego - practically had its bags packed to head off to the wreckers.
But having been around my fair share of R31's, it was what i was looking for.
It was a 5speed; and being a Silhouette (the 'sports' model), was fitted with slightly better seats, wheel, full gauge set, and an LSD. This is on top of the things that make the R31 Skyline very appealing for a thrash about the bush - The 3litre RB30E inline six, light body, and a strong solid-axle rear end (BorgWarner 78).
You see, thats was the original planned future for this car - thrashing about off-road.

As usual though, I got carried away and kept tidying it up. I cant help myself!

This is as neat as it managed to get inside. Far from perfect, but had a undamaged dash and doorcards, a carpet out of another R31 I had, an N14 Pulsar SSS wheel, and decent standard Silhouette seats. Wasn't too bad really.

The spare wheel sat upright in the rear right wheel well.

After a bit of work doing basic boring roadworthy things, this car amazingly passed a roadworthy inspection, and then got registered!

As soon as that was out of the way, it got its first nugget-spec Turbo setup!
The classic RB30E+T combination. Standard RB30ET T3 Turbo manifold, 3" Turbo back dump and exhaust, standard injectors, standard ecu, and a horriffic intercooler setup assembled out of bits that were lying around.
The airflow meter is then moved from the intake to the cold side of the cooler piping, and a open-ended straight pipe added right on the front of the Turbo.
The whole point of this is to just get it to 'dose'. Seriously.. just to make a ton of induction noise, and flutter like a chipmunk when the throttle is shut abruptly. Silly, but hilarious.

Back section of the front bumper hastily cut out, and bumper struggling to fit over the truly terribly mounted turn-flow Intercooler.

I got a set of secondhand Pedders shocks and springs, swapped the LSD Diff out for a minispool, and a set of (in hindsight, absolutely spot-on) Volk Racing Superfine mesh wheels.

And there it was:

Make no mistake - it was still a brutally rough car overall; but remember it was all built for a bit of a laugh.
It actually managed to look pretty damn cool though..!

After a while, the original RB30E+T cried enough; so a new one was sourced - and this time an RB30ET.
This came out of a dark blue S3 R31 Silhouette, which had managed to slide into a pole shortly after this engine was built.
Was a bloody bargain at the time, as it had not long before been fully rebuilt. At the same time a much much neater inter-cooler setup went in, and VL Turbo (originally fitted with a RB30ET) ECU and injectors.

The new front bumper went on with the new intercooler too.. and actually fit this time!

Despite the work, the car never really had a home. I had other cars, and no damn room.
It spent a lot its time on the street, in front of a mates house, and later in storage.

Gathering dust.

I finally ended up selling it to a friend, who continued to work on it, and used it as his daily for quite a while!
In later days it actually had a full set of S13 coilovers, a modified R33 GTR gearbox, and the T3 turbo rebuilt with T4 internals. It moved along nicely.

When it then came time to sell again, it came up against a classic problem with cars like this: they're just worth much more in parts than complete.

It was parted out, and the body went to the wreckers.

was a bit of a shame, as i always liked this car. I had wanted to buy it back.. but just didn't have the time for it. The reality was that it was near-dead and ready for the wreckers years before, and i had actually just given it one more shot. Its amazing it had ever managed to get back on the road.. but it just didn't last.

On top of my love of '31's, this car left me with a huge soft-spot for the S3 Silhouette in particular. Just love them.

Sunday, 17 February 2013

Last year of production for the third generation of Supra's.
This one has been fitted with a rather mild lip kit, and lowered on SSR Professors.

The lack of tint is surprising, but nice.
Really great side profile on these..

Inside is as tidy as out; and has been fitted with a Momo Race wheel and contrasting red Recaro (SR3?).

Nice and tidy in here too. Dealer spruced-up, but looks to have been a clean bay regardless. The 2.5litre, Twin-Turbo'd 1JZGTE is looking as good as new.
Only visible additions here being a HKS intake, bit of bracing, coilovers, and a little Cusco master cylinder stopper.

All really looks to have been modified ~10 years ago, and unchanged since.
It may not be exactly how I'd do it, but can definitely always appreciate. :)

Friday, 15 February 2013

1988 Mitusbishi Cordia GSL.
The GSL admittedly being the non turbo, and this one 'equipped' with a 3speed auto; but damn is it looking good for its age.

The undesirable variant - the trick to this Cordia's survival.
25 years old this year, a whisker over 100,000km, and still has its mudflaps..! ha

Looks good in the gunmetal grey.

Super tidy in here, and completely original. Wouldnt change a thing.

Flip bonnet, and the 4G62 non turbo, single cam, 1.8litre - stirring that 3speed auto - and sending power through to the front wheels.
..Not a particularity fiery combination, but a sweet little car to get about in.

This whole car is only $2500. One of those times you couldn't even attempt to make one this nice for that money.